WAFER-TO-WAFER STACK WITH SUPPORTING PEDESTAL
An electronic device having a stacked structure is provided. The electronic device includes a first electronic layer, a second electronic layer disposed on the first electronic layer, and at least a post. The first electronic layer has a first interface, and including a first substrate and a first device layer disposed on the first substrate. The first interface is located between the first substrate and the first device layer, and the first device layer has a surface opposite to the first interface. The post is arranged in the first device layer, and extending from the first interface to the surface of the first device layer.
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This application is a Continuation-In-Part of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/471,165 filed on Jun. 20, 2006, and for which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120; and this application claims priority of Application No. 94137522 filed in Taiwan on Oct. 26, 2005 under 35 U.S.C. §119; the entire contents of all are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a wafer stack structure, and in particular to a three dimensional wafer stack having at least one supporting pedestal formed therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAs the rapid development of the semiconductor process, more and more electronic products can be provided with higher performance, higher portability and more compactness. Under such a development trend, the size of the chip used for the electronic products should be miniaturized, but the integrated circuits contained in the chip are becoming more and more complicated. However, advancing scaling down of chip size and increasing the design complexity of the integrated circuits entail a multiplicity of problems, such as, the crosstalk effect and the thermal issues on the chip, or the proximity effect in the lithography and etching processes. Recently, a novel three dimensional wafer structure design has been gradually developed in order to overcome the problems resulting from the miniaturization of the chip
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In such a three dimensional wafer stack structure, like the abovementioned wafer stack 100′, more wafers might be repeatedly stacked up, if necessary. However, a new problem may occur in such a three dimensional wafer stack structure. The low-k materials 18′, 28′, which exist in the respective device layer and are used for allowing the conducting wires thereof being arranged closely, usually has porous structure, and might be destroyed by compression stresses resulting from the stacking structure or by the thermal stresses resulting from the heat generated by the circuit devices. Therefore, those low-k materials 18′, 28′ are vulnerable. Once the structure of the low-k material 18′ is damaged, the isolation between the circuit device 16′ and the other components in the same device layer 14′ would be no longer effective and the functions of the circuit device 16′ will eventually fail.
Based on the above, it is necessary to find a new approach to prevent the low-k materials 18′ existing in the device layer 14′ from being damaged by the compression or thermal stresses. In order to overcome such issues, a novel three dimensional wafer stack having therein at least one supporting pedestal and the manufacturing method therefor are provided. The supporting structure, such as a pedestal or a post, is disposed in a device layer, stands at an interface between the device layer and the substrate, and extends to the upper surface of the device layer, to protect the electronic devices in the same layer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is a first aspect of the present invention to provide an electronic device having a stacked structure. The electronic device includes a first electronic layer, a second electronic layer disposed on the first electronic layer, and at least a post. The first electronic layer has a first interface, and including a first substrate and a first device layer disposed on the first substrate. The first interface is located between the first substrate and the first device layer, and the first device layer has a surface opposite to the first interface. The post is arranged in the first device layer, and extending from the first interface to the surface of the first device layer.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an electronic device having a first electronic layer and at least a post is provided. The electronic device includes a first electronic layer. The first electronic layer has a first interface, and includes a first substrate and a first device layer disposed on the first substrate. The first interface is located between the first substrate and the first device layer, and the first device layer has a surface opposite to the first interface. The post is arranged in the first device layer, and extending from the first interface to the surface of the first device layer.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electronic layer having a substrate, a device layer, an interface, and at least a post is provided. The device layer is disposed on the substrate and has a surface. The interface is located between the substrate and the device layer, and opposite to the surface. The post extends from the interface to the surface.
Based on the above, a novel three dimensional wafer stack structure and the manufacturing method therefor are provided. In Comparison with the conventional three dimensional wafer stack, the three dimensional wafer stack structure according to the present invention is further provided with at least one pedestal arranged in each chip area of the device layer for preventing the low-k materials existing in the device layer from being damaged by the stresses. Moreover, the pedestals, which are usually formed by a metal material having a relatively high thermal conductivity, constructed by a columnar structure or a lateral structure, and can run through the first and the second substrates, are also used as the thermal conductive devices, in order to release the heat generated in the device layers. Furthermore, at least one of the pedestals, or posts, is electrically coupled to an contact of an electronic device in the device layer, and extends to the surface of the device layer, to allow a signal from the electronic device to be detected at the surface of the device layer.
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings, in which:
The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.
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In addition to the above-mentioned structural feature, the three dimensional wafer stack 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention further includes at least one supporting structure 25, such as a pedestal, existing in the first and the second device layers 14, 24 for preventing the low-k materials 18, 28, from being damaged by the compression stresses resulting from the stacking of the wafers or the thermal stresses generated from the heat generated by the circuit devices 16, 26.
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In addition, the supporting structures in an alternative embodiment can be designed to include a columnar structure part and a lateral structure part, as shown in
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According to the present invention, embodiments of the post 55 includes the pedestal 25 set forth above. However, there might be other embodiments of the post 55 that vertically support the device layers or the substrates in the electronic device. Referring to
The second electronic layer 20 includes a second substrate 22 and a second device layer 24, which is disposed on the second substrate. The second electronic layer 20 also has an interface 23. The second interface 23 is located between the second substrate 22 and the second device layer 24. Likewise, the second device layer 24 and the second substrate 22 each has a surface opposite to the second interface 23 respectively. Practically, the second electronic layer 20 comprises one of an ESD circuit, a passive element circuit, a driving circuit and a power/ground shielding circuit. In the second device layer 24, at least a low-k material 28 is disposed adjacent to a device 26. According to one embodiment, the second device layer 24 includes a second passivation layer 29 covering all the electronic devices except contact points such as a pad 262 that is electrically connected to a conducting wire 261 and provides signals from an electronic device 26. For this particular case, the surface of the second device layer 24 is on the surface of the second passivation layer 29.
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It can be observed that, the signal from the device 26 can be detected through the pad 262 at the surface of the second device layer 24. However, the signal from the circuit device 16 can not be detected by the similar way, for the surface of the first device layer 14 is covered by the second electronic layer 20. To solve the mentioned issue, it can be observed that the post 55(a) the very left is coupled to the circuit device 16 at one end, extending all the way to the surface of the second device layer 24, and exposed to the air. Therefore, when performing engineering analysis or trouble shooting, one may detect the signals generated by the circuit device 16 at the first device layer located at the bottom of the three-dimensional stack structure with the aid of the post 55(a).
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Since the gap 40 is open to the air, all the elements located in the gap 40 would be disposed to moisture and corrosive materials carried by the air, and eventually be damaged due to corrosion. Therefore, an adhesive material is filled into the gap 40 after the joins 31 have been disposed therein, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Claims
1. An electronic device having a stacked structure, comprising:
- a first electronic layer having a first interface, and including a first substrate and a first device layer disposed on the first substrate, wherein the first interface is located between the first substrate and the first device layer, and the first device layer has a surface opposite to the first interface;
- a second electronic layer disposed on the first electronic layer; and
- at least a post arranged in the first device layer, and extending from the first interface to the surface of the first device layer.
2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic layer further has a second interface, a second substrate and a second device layer, the second interface is located between the second substrate and the second device layer, the second substrate has a surface opposite to the second interface, and the surface of the second substrate is disposed on and faces the surface of the first device layer.
3. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the second device layer has a surface opposite to the second interface, and the post further extends to the surface of the second device layer opposite to the second interface.
4. An electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising:
- a gap between the first and second electronic layers; and
- a joint located in the gap for continuing the extension of the post to the surface of the second device layer, wherein the joint includes one of an electrically-conductive-only material, a thermally-conductive-only material, and a both-electrically-and-thermally-conductive material.
5. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the first substrate has a surface opposite to the first interface, and the post further extends to the surface of the first substrate.
6. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the first substrate has a surface opposite to the first interface, and the post further extends to a location between the interface and the surface of the first substrate.
7. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic layer further has a second interface, a second substrate and a second device layer, the second interface is located between the second substrate and the second device layer, the second device layer has a surface opposite to the second interface, and the surface of the second device layer is disposed on and faces the surface of the first device layer.
8. An electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the post further extends to the second interface.
9. An electronic device according to claim 8, further comprising:
- a gap between the first and second electronic layers; and
- a joint located in the gap for continuing the extension of the post to the second interface, wherein the joint includes one of an electrically-conductive-only material, a thermally-conductive-only material, and a both-electrically-and-thermally-conductive material.
10. An electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the post further extends to the surface of the second substrate.
11. An electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising:
- a gap between the first and second electronic layers; and
- a joint located in the gap for continuing the extension of the post to the surface of the second substrate, wherein the joint includes of an electrically-conductive-only material, a thermally-conductive-only material, and a both-electrically-and-thermally-conductive material.
11. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic layer further has a second interface, a second substrate and a second device layer, the second interface is located between the second substrate and the second device layer, the first substrate has a surface opposite to the first interface, the second substrate has a surface opposite to the second interface, and the surface of the second substrate is disposed on and faces the surface of the first substrate.
12. An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the post extends to the surface of the second device layer.
13. An electronic device according to claim 12, comprising:
- a gap between the first and second electronic layers; and
- a joint located in the gap for continuing the extension of the post to the surface of the second device layer, wherein the joint includes one of an electrically-conductive-only material, a thermally-conductive-only material, and a both-electrically-and-thermally-conductive material
14. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic layer is a wafer and the second electronic layer is a wafer.
15. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic layer is a wafer and the second electronic layer is a chip.
16. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic layer is a chip and the second electronic layer is a chip.
17. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second substrates further comprises a solid foundation including one of a silicon dioxide on a silicon substrate and a silicon nitride/silicon dioxide on a silicon substrate.
18. An electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the post stands on the solid foundation of the first substrate.
19. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises a plurality of posts, and the posts are arranged in a symmetrical array.
20. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the post is one of a columnar structure and a lateral structure.
20. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the post comprises a metal material having a relatively high thermal conductivity.
21. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first device layer comprises a low-k material.
22. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second electronic layers have a same circuit wire width.
23. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic layer has a circuit wire width wider than that of the first electronic layer.
24. An electronic device according to claim 23, wherein the gap between the first electronic layer and the second electronic layer is filled with an adhesive material.
25. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic layer comprises one of an ESD circuit, a passive element circuit, a driving circuit and a power/ground shielding circuit.
26. An electronic device according to claim 25, wherein the gap between the first electronic layer and the second electronic layer is filled with an adhesive material.
27. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the post is formed by one process of a UV laser process, a CO2 laser process, and a chemical etching process, prior to a material deposition process.
28. An electronic device according to claim 27, wherein the gap between the first electronic layer and the second electronic layer is filled with an adhesive material.
29. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a pad, wherein each of the first and the second electronic layers further comprises a passivation layer to cover the respective device layer surface and allow the pad to be exposed for an electrical connection.
30. An electronic device according to claim 29, wherein the gap between the first electronic layer and the second electronic layer is filled with an adhesive material.
31. An electronic device, comprising:
- a first electronic layer having a first interface, and including a first substrate and a first device layer disposed on the first substrate, wherein the first interface is located between the first substrate and the first device layer, and the first device layer has a surface opposite to the first interface; and
- at least a post arranged in the first device layer, and extending from the first interface to the surface of the first device layer.
32. An electronic device according to claim 31, further comprising a second electronic layer having a second substrate.
33. An electronic device according to claim 32, wherein the first electronic layer is a wafer and the second electronic layer is a wafer.
34. An electronic device according to claim 32, wherein the first electronic layer is a wafer and the second electronic layer is a chip.
35. An electronic device according to claim 31, wherein the first electronic layer is a chip and the second electronic layer is a chip.
36. An electronic device according to claim 31, wherein the second substrate has a surface, the electronic device has a second interface between the second substrate and the first device layer, the surface of the second substrate is opposite to the second interface, and the post further extends to the surface of the second substrate.
37. An electronic device according to claim 32, wherein the first substrate has a surface opposite to the first interface, and the post further extends to the surface of the first substrate.
38. An electronic device according to claim 32, wherein the first substrate has a surface opposite to the first interface, and the post further extends to a location between the first interface and the surface of the first substrate.
39. An electronic device according to claim 32, wherein the second substrate has a surface, the electronic device has a second interface between the second substrate and the first device layer, the surface of the second substrate is opposite to the second interface, and the electronic device further comprises a gap between the first and the second electronic layers and a joint located in the gap for continuing an extension of the post to the surface of the second substrate, wherein the joint includes one of an electrically-conductive-only material, a thermally-conductive-only material, and a both-electrically-and-thermally-conductive material.
40. An electronic device according to claim 32, further comprising a pad, wherein the first electronic layer further comprises a passivation layer to cover the surface of the first device layer while allowing the pad to be exposed for an electrical connection.
41. An electronic device according to claim 40, wherein the gap is filled with an adhesive material.
42. An electronic layer comprising:
- a substrate;
- a device layer disposed on the substrate and having a surface;
- an interface located between the substrate and the device layer, and opposite to the surface; and
- at least a post extending from the interface to the surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 30, 2010
Publication Date: Jun 30, 2011
Patent Grant number: 8810031
Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (Hsinchu)
Inventors: Chi-Shih Chang (Hsinchu), Ra-Min Tain (Hsinchu), Shyi-Ching Liau (Hsinchu), Wei-Chung Lo (Hsinchu), Rong-Shen Lee (Hsinchu)
Application Number: 12/982,046
International Classification: H01L 23/48 (20060101);